


Right Timing

by fluffybun



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Brock as a Doctor in Training, F/M, Fandom Stocking 2013, Post-Canon, ShoppingShipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-05
Updated: 2014-01-05
Packaged: 2018-01-07 14:52:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1121163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fluffybun/pseuds/fluffybun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maybe, maybe it is their time now. Brock, now an apprentice of a Pokemon Doctor in Hoenn, discovers feelings for a old friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SaraJaye](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/gifts).



> This came into my head after I heard that Brock had chosen to train to become a Pokemon Doctor following Best Wishes. (!!!) Hope you enjoy, Sarajaye and everyone who reads this :)

It has been a long time since he went to Hoenn, Brock thinks, six years ago when he was still sixteen years old. Since his being accepted in Pokemon Medical School four years ago he had done so much studying, so much that sometimes he felt information was coming out of his ears. Even flirting sometimes took too much energy now, which he conserved for sleeping and studying and maybe eating. Maybe he was getting older.

He loved it, though he missed traveling with his friends. Even though he had made some friends in medical school, going to class together was different from getting into the scrapes he and Ash had used to get into.

This time, since he had done well during his apprenticeship in Johto he was invited to have one in Hoenn. His teachers had advised him to go, since it would be a great opportunity to get to see and treat Pokemon not normally found in the Kanto and Johto region. When he had called Ash, the boy had congratulated him.

“Hey, you should call up May and Max, since you’re going to Hoenn! I think you haven’t seen them for as long as I have, you know! Not since the Wallace Cup for May, and Max when we said goodbye in Hoenn all those years ago!”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”

He had called the Normal Pokemon Gym in Hoenn; May had happily congratulated him and invited him to visit, especially since the city his apprenticeship would be in was not too far from Petalburg City.

“It’ll be great to see you again, Brock! Especially since I’m here right now and Max plans to come home for a visit soon,” she said before ending the call.

So here he was, waiting at the Pokemon Square of the City he was to have his apprenticeship in.

“Brock!”

Brock knows he falls in love easily, after years of chasing so many girls both while traveling with Ash and even in his new career as a medical student (he had gotten used to the evaluations of the teachers in his earlier years about his falling in love easily with his patients’ owners, yet such didn’t affect his drive to give them the very best care he could give), but there were always certain girls he felt, knew subconsciously, were off limits. There was Misty, maybe because she was so independent, so driven, but more of he was aware long before she was that she cared for Ash. There was Dawn, who was a good friend but whom he never saw as anything more, maybe partly because he felt she was too young for him. And there was May, who was earnest and honest and cute, but back then when they were traveling Brock thought that her heart would turn to Drew, her rival, or even Ash, and also that maybe he felt she was too young for him too.

With those thoughts in mind, he wonders why his heart is pounding when May hugs him cheerfully.

***

 “I was so happy to hear from you! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me that you were planning to be a doctor! I had to hear from Ash, of all people!”

He scratched his head. “Actually, not many people really know, just Ash and Dawn and my family. I’ve pretty much been busy studying all these years, as well as having an apprenticeship in Johto.”

“I think it’s great,” added May, stepping back a little. “I mean, you were always the best of all of us at taking care of Pokemon, and you were always able to connect with even the hardest of them!”

“Thanks,” he said, his heart pounding still as he realizes all over again that May, the girl he and Ash had taught so much about Pokemon, had grown up.

“Anyway, have you seen the doctor you’re apprenticing with?”

“No, I don’t know where he lives. I should probably go see him right now.”

“Don’t worry, where exactly does he live or work? I can help you!” She reaches for the paper Brock has with the address scribbled down and smiles up at him. “I know where this is, come, let’s go, Brock!” She takes his hand and they run, Brock struck speechless by how small her hand is in his and how her hair gently catches the light of the sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I blame this plot bunny on suddenly finding out that Brock decided to become a Pokemon Doctor. I have a soft spot for characters who are training or who are doctors, so this was born. :) I like Dawn and Iris lots, though I really also missed May and I thought this plot might work out. :)
> 
> For reference, Brock is 22 years old while May is 16 years old. Max is now 13 (and will appear in later chapters).


	2. Chapter 2

Brock’s apprenticeship goes well enough, at least the first few days. Hoenn Pokemon have their own quirks just as Kanto and Johto Pokemon have, and each day kept him wanting to learn more about healing Pokemon. The doctor he apprentices under is smart and willing to teach him many things and Brock feels like a sponge with all the information he gains. 

But after each day at the hospital and the Pokemon Center, Brock calls May.

It had been May who had first called while Brock was at the Pokemon Center, finishing up his work. He had been told by the Nurse Joy there that a call had come asking if he was free, and he was pushed to the phone with a smile.

He exhales when he sees May on the screen, smiling. “Hey Brock, how was your first day?”

“I’m fine, it’s amazing here. You have some stuff here that we didn’t have in Johto, you know.”

She smiled. “Ah, yeah, my father told me that the Pokemon League is trying to improve the Pokemon Center’s facilities and some of the Pokemon Centers in Hoenn are the test sites. If they are good, they’ll make the other Pokemon Centers have them too. But anyway, yeah, Max should be coming back soon, so we’ll come and visit, if it’s okay.”

“Sure!”

The conversations that follow are always easy, with Brock wondering how they didn’t seem to run out of things to talk about. May, at sixteen, had insights about Pokemon behavior that was likely picked up from years of trying to bring the best out of each Pokemon, the crux of Coordinating, and Brock was happy to answer any questions she might have about taking care of Pokemon.

It is after a week of these calls that Brock realizes that he looks forward especially to these calls, especially when the Nurse Joy he works with teases him about his calls from the ‘Princess of Hoenn’.

“Princess of Hoenn?”

“Yeah, they call her that since she took Johto by storm then, many years ago. She’s certainly one of Hoenn’s most promising Coordinators; her bond with her Pokemon is exceptional. I know, since some of us help in judging Contests.”

It is after that talk that Brock realizes that his heartbeat is mostly steady while talking with Nurse Joy and types of girls he used to fall in love these last few days, except in that one moment that she teased him about May. He handed back a beautiful woman’s Poochyena and hardly felt the urge to flirt, except for when she tossed her shoulder-length brown hair that was so much like May’s… He shook his head to clear his thoughts and gets back helping Nurse Joy.

“This is bad,” he says to himself later as he prepares his Croagunk and Chansey’s food. Croagunk thankfully decides not to hit him in the gut after it communicates with Chansey.

***

He is the one that usually calls her because she confesses after a few days of talking that she is always embarrassed when the Nurse Joy he works with always praises her Coordinating skills when she picks up May’s calls.

She always smiles while talking to him, relating how Max had won another badge and immediately called her to tell her, “and you know, his Swellow is really great”, or how some prominent coordinators had come by to share some tips with her or compliment her last performances. She always inquires about his work, and he tells her about how Plusles and Minuns heal better when with each other, or how Sevipers in feverish states attack even pictures of Zangooses. She laughs, she smiles, and when he talks to her his heart lightens after each day of seeing sick Pokemon.

It’s like getting to know her again, all over again, not anymore as a little girl to take care of and teach but as an equal, someone to ask and share advice with on their specialized knowledge and Brock knows that he’s falling, falling slowly and quickly and he doesn’t ever want to stop.

It was always easy to confess before, to any girl he fell for. But this is May, May, and the words stick in his throat every time she smiles at him from the phone’s screen. He wished he could find that fathomless bravado he used to have when with girls, with the lines that yes, earned him groans and punches from Croagunk.

_All those lines disappeared when she came back into his life._

He didn’t really understand why he couldn’t just say it to her, like he did before, like he was able to do while meeting girls on his journeys with Ash, with Misty, with May, even, and Dawn and Max. Was it because she was younger than him? Or was it because he had never really fallen for someone who had seen him, known him, seen him fall in love so many times he couldn’t count?

Was it because this time, he wondered if he confessed and she said no, he couldn’t see him recovering as easily as he did before?

“This is bad,” he tries to say again, but the words stick in his throat; Croagunk looks puzzled at his behavior while Chansey pats his arm in support.


	3. Chapter 3

A week after, she is the one to call right before he could, with her not realizing that the call had gone through as he sees her face on the screen turned to the side as if she was talking to someone.

He hears her mother in the background, “It’s a great opportunity, May, you should tell Brock about it! Maybe he could give you advice!”

“Mom!” she cries, and he blinks and wonders if the faint blush on her cheek is imagined, a fancy of his heart. _Stop it, Brock, you’ve gotten over that part of your life,_ he berates himself. “Oh, Brock! Hi!”

“Hi, May. What’s the opportunity your mom was talking about?”

“Oh, you heard that?” She looks slightly terrified. “Um, today, Mr. Contesta came by to ask me to teach the kids in the nearby Pokemon School about Coordinating, just for two weeks.”

“That’s great, May! I’m sure you’ll inspire many of them to become Coordinators!”

She blushed; Brock catches his arm trying to pull out a rose from the nearby flower vase and stops himself in time from looking ridiculous to the other people in the Pokemon Center.

“Mou, I don’t know Brock, I mean, so many other coordinators would do a better job than me.”

 _Snap out of it, May’s asking you for advice,_ he tells himself again before he answers her. “But they asked you, didn’t they? But more importantly, do you want to do it?”

“Yeah,” she said softly. “I do, I just don’t want to mess up.”

He smiles back at her. “I’m sure you won’t, besides, you’re so approachable, May, I’m sure they’ll love you.”

She brings her fist up in the air. “All right, I’ll do it! Thanks Brock! I better go and make a lesson plan like my father told me to!”

“Run it by me when you finish, if you want.”

“Thanks Brock, you always believe in me.”

“Of course, May.” _I always will,_ he thinks, as he ends the call.

***

“I can’t do it, what if they don’t listen to me! I mean, I fell asleep a lot in school, why would anyone listen to me?” May had frantically called him the night before her first class; Brock had realized this might happen and had made sure to finish all his work early.

“May, calm down” said Brock over the phone. “It’ll be fine. We went over your lesson plans and I’m sure they’ll be able to understand what you say.”

“I know, but oh, Brock, what if they think I’m boring?”

“You won’t be, May” Brock said reassuringly. “Besides, most kids in school would love just to see Pokemon, and I’m sure many of them have heard about you and watched you in Contests. I’m sure some of them already want to follow in your footsteps. I wish I could see you give the class, actually.”

She visibly blushed. “Mou, Brock, I’m sure you know already what I’m going to say to them. I’m just glad that Max isn’t here, else he’d probably sneak into the school and make fun of me.”

“That he would,” said Brock. “But I think he’d be proud of you too. Like I am, May.”

Her eyes softened. “Thanks, Brock. I feel much better now.”

“Good. Get some rest for tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay,” she said softly. “Thanks again.”

“Anytime.”

***

“How was it?”

“I fell in front of them, what a bad impression” she said sadly, but then she perked up. “But I think most of them listened to me! I got a lot of questions about Contests and Poffins!”

“Well, that lesson plan we worked on about getting them to try selecting ingredients for Poffins and for trying to make them was good then.”

“I hope so!  I was thinking of getting another coordinator to do a demonstration with me, actually.”

“That sounds like a good idea, the kids will love that! Who are you going to ask?”

She sighed. “Well, most of the coordinators I know are busy right now trying to complete their five ribbons for the Grand Festival, but maybe I can find someone willing in the Pokemon Center nearby.”

“That would work. Or maybe you could ask Mr. Contesta for some help there.”

“That’s a great idea, thanks Brock! You’re always helping me out!”

He smiles back at her. “No problem.”

***

“So did you find someone?”

“Yeah! The Nurse Joy in my center volunteered, so the kids were really excited since most of them thought that Nurse Joys only had Chanseys!” She smiled. “I think some of the kids are also now interested in Pokemon Healing, since they also asked Nurse Joy questions about that.”

“That’s good, we really need more Pokemon Doctors.”

“I know, it’s amazing what they do.” She looked embarrassed. “I mean, I hardly see any of them, but now after finding out that you want to become one and remembering when we met Dr. Abby, I researched a bit and then I was amazed at how hard their work is, that they have to heal sometimes without the Pokemon Center machines and work in far flung areas and on many difficult cases, even psychological ones…”

He was touched that she had found out more about his work than many of the Pokemon trainers knew of his profession.

***

The doctor he apprentices under, Dr. Sam, smiles at him after they’ve seen their last patient for the day, a month in his stay here.

“Brock, I’m heading off first, but you have visitors.”

“Really?”

“Yes, they came while you were examining our last patient. I asked them to wait in another room.”

“Thanks!” His heart skipped a beat, and he hears his mentor chuckle as he peeks in the door to one of their patient rooms and says something Brock can’t hear, then waves goodbye to those inside the room before leaving the clinic.

“Surprise!” Max and May call as they peek out of the room. Max, much taller than he remembers, runs up to him and immediately starts asking about his Pokemon and how he was doing; he smiles fondly at the young boy now as tall, maybe a bit taller than Ash then when the four of them were traveling together.

He sneaks a peek at May, who smiles brightly at him and feels his cheeks heat up as he turns back to Max to answer his barrage of questions.

***

May and Max bring him to a nearby restaurant, and he sits next to Max like old times.

He is surprised by how much Max has grown after becoming an official Pokemon Trainer, becoming more tolerant of change and with a much better attitude towards his sister. Max peppers him with questions on being a Gym Leader, since he still wants to succeed his father someday as the Gym Leader of Petalburg. May apologizes for him, though her eyes are soft as she looks at her brother.

Then the food comes and May digs in as enthusiastically as she did when they were still traveling together and Brock smiles, finding it as endearingly May as the rest of her personality.

He hears a cough, though, and he sees Max frowning in his direction, before the younger boy turns to May and peppers her with some questions about her Pokemon. May smiles as she answers them, taking breaks from her eating to answer them.

“It’s good that Brock came, Max, since he knows what it’s like to be a Gym Leader. You can ask him everything you can’t ask Dad, you know.”

“Yeah,” said Max, though his eyes now newly wary as they rest on Brock again.

***

After their dinner, May reminds Max that he has to go call their father, who wanted to check up on them. “You see, it was kind of a surprise for you, so we kind of rushed out the door as soon as Max had come home and taken a bath. I think we just had enough time to tell them that we were visiting you before Max’s Swellow took us both away.”

Max frowns a little as he nods and walks off to the nearby Pokemon Center.

“Sorry, Max is getting a little moody, maybe it’s because he’s still sore about that loss to Vivi Winstrate. They kind of had a battle before he came home.”

“Oh,” Brock recalls when the four of them met the Winstrate Family. “She’s his rival?”

“Yeah,” May says fondly, “Just like Drew and I, or Ash and Gary, I think. Though Max had a crush on her a while back, right now I guess it’s more like just plain old rivalry.”

It is the first time he hears Drew’s name from her lips, and the fondness in her voice there which was similar to when she mentioned Ash’s causes his heart to tighten.

“How is Drew?”

She looks thoughtful and sad for a moment. “I haven’t seen him in a while. At the last contest I saw him in, he told me he was taking a break so that his Pokemon could rest, though if I know Drew, he’s probably training some new Pokemon to surprise us all at the Grand Festival this year.”

“Huh,” he said.

“Yeah, he already has all his ribbons already anyway and the Grand Festival is still a while off.”

“How many more ribbons do you need, May?”

She smiles. “Just one, and since this town is near a Contest, I planned to try for it tomorrow.” She smiles softly as she then invites him to go with her and Max and Brock doesn’t hesitate to tell her yes before they say goodbye for the night.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day, Brock does go with May and Max to the next town, where May dazzles everyone with her Glaceon’s Ice attacks in the appeal round.

Brock cheers loudly, and he is thankful that Max’s alleged bad mood retreats so that he can also cheer his sister on as loudly as he can.

“May worked so hard, you know.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I mean, she was alone in Johto, except for the time she came to Sinnoh to compete in the Wallace Cup and saw you. She was so happy to see you and Ash and Pikachu again, even though she lost to…”

“Dawn,” Brock says.

“Yeah. She had a bad string of luck then, but after that loss to Dawn, she won her last two ribbons quickly with a lot of time to spare.” Max frowns. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” Brock says. “It was good to see May.” Clapping reaches their ears again as the announcer tells them that it is time for the semi-finals, and that May would be in the first match.

“Swablu, take the stage!” May cries, and a familiar looking Swablu flies out gracefully from its Pokeball, charming everyone.

“Is that-“

“Yeah,” said Max. “That’s the Swablu we met while traveling, the one with such a great bond with May. It found her when we traveled together for a while this year, and now May is training it to use in this year’s Grand Festival.”

“Wow,” he said.

“Yeah.”

The mood continues like this until May wins, her smile as bright as the sun as she accepts the Contest Ribbon with her Swablu and Blaziken.

Brock cannot look away, until Max pulls his ear.

“Brock, my sister is not one of those girls you always fall in love with” he says sternly, before he runs up to her and congratulates her.

Chastened, Brock follows him slowly.

***

After the Contest, Max reminds May that they have to start heading home, else their parents would worry.

She looks at him apologetically. “My parents haven’t seen Max for a while, so they told us yesterday to come home after my Contest for dinner. I’m really sorry.”

“It’s okay, May. At least I got to see you two, and you in a contest.”

She blushes softly, patting her Contest Ribbon Case. “Thanks for watching,” she said.

“Anytime.”

“I’m really sorry I didn’t get to visit you earlier, but the Pokemon Coordinating League kept me so busy-“

He smiles. “I should keep telling you how admirable it is that the little girl I once helped out is now teaching kids how to Coordinate.”

She flushed as he patted her shoulder, “Ah, it’s nothing.”

“Ahem,” says Max, getting in between them. “May, we better go, you know.” He glared at Brock.

“Right, Max” she says with a sigh. “I’ll try to see you soon, okay?”

“Sure,” said Brock as he waves them off, his heart heavy.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This references certain events in the Orange Islands (and reveals how long I've been watching Pokemon ^^). For those who haven't watched them or for those who need a quick reminder because gods that was eons ago haha, please see the end of the notes for a brief summary.

Later that night, it is a testament to Brock’s desperation that he turns to Ash, known for his obliviousness to love, for help.

“Hey, Brock! How are you? How’s Hoenn?”

“Yeah, Hoenn’s great.”

“Have you met up with May and Max yet?”

“Yeah, that’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What is it?”

“Ash… I may… kind of…”

“Just spit it out,” Ash said, drinking some soda.

“Like May,” he got out quickly, his heart pounding.

“WHAT?” he hears from the speakers, though all he can see of the monitor is a dark liquid likely coating the camera of the phone Ash was using.

“Yeah. Er, Ash, the screen…”

“Whoa,” said Ash as Brock watched the dark liquid splattered over the phone disappear, “Really?”

“I know, it’s bad, huh?”

“Nah, just surprised,” said Ash. “I mean, you usually go for older women, and May’s May, you know? But yeah, I mean, a lot of people really like her, especially with her great successes over in Johto and Hoenn with her Coordinating. And she’s really a good friend.”

“Yeah.”

“I think it’s fine,” he said as he scratched his head. “I mean, you’re Brock. Even  if since I met you, you fall in love really easily-“ at this point Brock’s stomach twisted, like as if Croagunk had just punched him in the gut, “you’re a really great guy. You cook, you listen to problems and give great advice. And May always looked up to you too, you know.”

“Thanks Ash.”

“Yeah, just don’t...” Ash looked uncomfortable, “Hurt her, you know? She’s my friend too, see, like you are.”

“Yeah. I know. I gotta talk with Max. He kind of knows.”

“Max? Oh. Yeah, you better. But Brock, I think you don’t need to worry.”

“Why?”

“I mean, the fact that you’re so different this time, Max will notice it. I mean, usually you just go and profess love to any pretty girl you like, but now that you’re careful about what to say, I think he’ll see that. It makes me feel better about the whole thing, anyway.”

“Thanks, Ash. That was pretty profound.”

“I try,” said Ash while scratching his head. “But Brock?”

“Yeah, Ash?”

“Uh, be careful. I mean, this might be the first time I’ve seen you this unsure yet happy since…”

“What do you mean?”

Ash looks uncomfortable. “I don’t remember so much, but I… I don’t want to see you like when-“

“When?”

“When you left Misty and me and Tracy joined us for a while, when you came back after-“

Brock’s heart pounds as he remembers then.

 _Professor Ivy,_ he thought as he recalled those months that he couldn’t bear to hear of her name, a hurt that he carried deep in his heart for a long time, even when everyone else had forgotten. The hurt was still there, though finally muted to a dull ache after many adventures with his many friends, yes, even May. _But back then, even in the back of my mind I knew it wouldn’t work, even if I left Ash and Misty to be with her, then that happened…_

 _Maybe that’s why I can’t say anything to May like the others, because this is something different, because there are no more other girls that sway me than May, like she did before,_ he thinks. _But May could, would never do what she did._

 _That’s right, she couldn’t because it wouldn’t be May._ He had been a young boy then, swayed by an older woman. When May came into his life first, she had been younger and clearly in need of help, and Brock couldn’t help but treat her as one of his little sisters first, then a friend to share adventures with. But now everything was different: both of them had gone on different career paths and had found what they really wanted to do, were doing well in them, and now their relationship was more equal than any of his other relationships could have been, would have been.

Brock wanted to try.

Because it was May.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure who else that is male Brock could call other than Tracey for help on his love life. Poor Ash, hope I didn't mangle him too much here.
> 
> Ahem. Anyway. So during the Orange Islands, Brock left the group because he fell in love with the Professor of those Islands, Professor Ivy (a very attractive older woman, exactly Brock's type) and helped her in her research. But Brock eventually came back (for the next season, Johto), but there is no explanation for what happened between them. Every time she was mentioned, Brock would become depressed and only say "that name"... so yeah. Numerous speculations. All that is made clear was that something happened (???) and Brock continued on his way and falling in love with people, though he never left the group again for any girl. Poor Brock. I have my own reasoning for Brock's actions in the aftermath (and his eventual renewed skirt chasing, but it might be too long for this fanfic. Boo Professor Ivy.)


	6. Chapter 6

When Doctor Sam tells him to take the next three days off as a reward for being a good apprentice, he knows what he plans to do. He is thankful for his capturing a Fearow while he was in Kanto to help him travel, which allows him to be in Petalburg before lunch.

When he knocks on the door of May’s house, Max answers.

“Oh, hi Brock. I… I didn’t know you were coming. May’s busy with Norman, though, training her Delcatty.”

“It’s a surprise,” he said carefully. “But actually I wanted to talk with you, Max. Is that okay?”

Max stared at him consideringly for a moment, then nodded. “Okay, let’s go.”

After they are settled in a nearby restaurant, Brock starts. “Max, I think you know what I want to talk to you about.”

“Yeah,” said Max. “May, right? Isn’t she a little young for you? I mean, you’re twenty-one and-”

“Twenty-two,” corrected Brock reluctantly

“And May’s sixteen.” Max looked very unhappy.

“Is that so much a gap, Max?”

“Certainly you never cared about it before,” said Max, “but I think my parents would protest if they knew you liked May, even though they let us all travel together before without any comment.” Max sighed. “I’m not actually sure why they did that, though they always let May do what she wanted.”

Max had a valid point. “If I ask permission from your parents, Max, would that make it better?”

“If they agree, which they probably will since Mom always talked about how trustworthy you were even before when we were traveling together, I can’t really complain about that, you know. You really like my sister that much?”

“Yeah.” He placed his hands on the table, his heartbeat steady. “I really like her, Max. Other than age, is there any other problem with that?”

Max sighed, looking much older than his thirteen years of age. “Look, Brock, I respect you a lot, but…” Max said. “I won’t have you hurting my sister. Even if she’s sometimes a pain, she is still **my** sister. While she likes to meddle with other people’s love lives, she hasn’t really done anything about hers.” Max turned away and Brock swore he heard him mutter something about Drew and Harley and how those two had been so confusing in their rivalries with her that no wonder she didn’t even think about that sort of thing.

He smiled. “I know, Max. I would never want to hurt her either. She’s different from the others.” _She might be the person that I never knew I really needed, until she came back into my life._

Max exhales, looking relieved. “Good. Well, the fact that you haven’t done anything yet and actually talked to me first is something, after watching you fall over so many girls all throughout our journey makes me feel much better about it.”

He smiles at Max and wishes Ash was here to see how much Max had grown. “Thanks, Max.”

“Yeah, well, May seems so much happier since you’ve come to Hoenn and she’s the kind of important one here and I always liked you better than Drew, so…” he sighed, “try your best, though good luck, since May’s kind of…”

 _Oblivious,_ Brock filled in silently, and he smiled. “I know, Max. Thanks again.”

“You better not chase after any other girls, though.”

Brock laughs. “Just one, Max.”

“Max! Brock!” May barrels into the restaurant and nearly crashes into their table. “Max, I was just finishing up with Dad, you could have told me Brock had come!”

“Ah, I just wanted to ask him something,” Max says easily.

“Mou, Max!” She then turns to him and gives him that smile that is certainly playing havoc with his steady heartbeat. “Brock, I’m so glad to see you! You should have told me last night you were coming!”

“I just found out today,” he said softly as he hugs her back, blushing slightly.

Max sighs from behind May and catches his eyes, a slight nod making Brock’s hopes rise even more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I try my best to address the age issues, though it might not be a huge issue in Pokemon land (where apparently ten year olds are being let loose upon the Pokemon World normally, so I guess any age-of-consent rules are kinda skewed there; not to mention MAX being allowed to go off!!! Haha, not in the real world.). I could see Max addressing it though, since he's that kind of logical thinker that would address all issues of an argument.


	7. Chapter 7

The next day, Max suggests that they visit Slateport City.

“That is a bit far,” said Brock.

May smiles up at him. “Ah, there’s a market there now, Brock! I’m sure you’ll enjoy shopping there!”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I love it there!”

“More importantly,” Max says, “There are Electrike there, and I want to catch one! So while you two go shopping, I’ll be catching and training the Electrike I catch!”

“Okay, Max” said May with a smile. “And?”

“Fine,” said Max with a frown, “Vivi challenged me to a battle there, and I’m going to win! She won’t know what hit her!” He runs off, presumably to get his Pokemon ready, and May laughs.

“I’m glad Max has a rival to inspire him, not that he’d admit it” she said.

“Rivals are important,” Brock says carefully.

“Yeah, I probably wouldn’t have worked so hard if not for Drew, Harley, Solidad, and Ash, even” she said softly, patting her bag. “But I’m glad to have had both your and Ash’s support, Brock. I really knew nothing about Pokemon back then.”

He chuckled. “You’ve gone a long way, May.”

“Thank you,” she says.

***

The long walk to Slateport is made easier by May’s mother Caroline offering to drive them there. “I wanted to do some shopping myself, and of course Norman will accompany me, right?”

May and Max’s father just smiles fondly at his wife.

In Slateport, they are told to meet up at the Pokemon Center at sundown, and soon Brock and May are on their way to the Market, her parents having gone ahead.

“So we have about two hours to shop,” said May cheerfully, “before Max and Vivi Winstrate’s battle.” She smiles up at him. “I think Max wants to show you how much he’s improved. I’m really proud of him, though don’t tell him that.”

He chuckles. “I’m excited to see Max battle.”

He is reminded of how May tended to shop with him while Ash and Max usually explored the cities they visited, how familiar and unfamiliar this felt to him. Certainly he had never sweated this much before with May then, or had his heart race whenever she thanked him for helping her decide what to buy.

 _I’ve got it bad,_ he thinks, but this time it feels much easier to say.

***

Two hours passes quickly, and soon Brock and May reach the clearing where Max and Vivi face off, first with words, a cliff’s edge nearby. He volunteers to referee the match and sits in the middle, though May chooses to sit behind her brother and cheer him on.

“You ready?” Vivi Winstrate called out threateningly, an Azumarril at her side.

“Yeah! I won’t lose!” said Max, calling out a Kirlia.

“Is that-“

“Yeah,” said May, “That’s the Ralts Max met on our journey. He found it before he went out on his journey.”

“Wow,” he says.

“He’s really trained it well,” May continues, “I’m sure it’ll evolve any day now into a Gardevoir.”

The two Pokemon fought well, both bruised but not giving any inch as the battle progressed. Max and Vivi were getting tired also, but he could see the determination in their eyes.

“Hydro Pump!” cried VIvi. The Azumarril prepared the attack, only to be hit by Kirlia’s Psychic, throwing the attack off course and knocking it out.

“Great job, Kirlia!” said Max, running to his Kirlia to congratulate it as Vivi turned to take her fainted Pokemon, but then his eyes widened as he looked at May. “May, watch out!”

Brock’s eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen: the missed attack would likely hit May and also push her over the cliff; he calls on his Pokemon.

“Marshtomp, Ludicolo, go! Save May!”

His breath catches in his throat as he sees May get hit by the attack and almost go over the cliff, only to be caught by Marshtomp and pulled back by his Ludicolo.

He pants as he raises his head from the ground, May safely in his Marshtomp’s arms, bruised but alive. He carefully stands up and walks to her, holding out his hand.

“You okay, May?”

“Yeah, thanks” she said softly, taking it and standing up and Brock watched her stare down the cliff. “Whoa, I could have gone down that?”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks for saving me Brock, you and Marshtomp and Ludicolo” she said, gently patting the two Pokemon who blushed. “I’m really glad I met you again,” she said as she kissed Brock on the cheek lightly, though for him it was like the brush of her soft lips was branded on his cheek, how potent its effect was on his heart. Her blush was beautiful to behold against the setting sun.

“Me too, May” he says while grinning down at her.

***

_Maybe before, when he first met May, it wasn’t the right time to develop feelings for her but…_

_Maybe, maybe their time is now._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! Whew, now I want to see Brock and May again. I never thought I'd write this, I'm usually a dedicated ContestShipper. ^^; But I cannot deny the potential :)
> 
> Hope anyone who reaches the end of this little work enjoyed it :) I'd love to hear feedback :)


End file.
